The Narragansett Times

February 10, 2012

PROVIDENCE â€“ For the second time the House Judiciary Committee has stalled on reforming Rhode Islandâ€™s good time law.

In an overflowing hearing room at the State House Wednesday night, where opponents of the bill feared its unconstitutionality and victims of heinous criminals pleaded for the billâ€™s passage, the nine present representatives on the committee decided to hold their vote for further study until April 2 when the Criminal Justice Oversight Commission has their say on the bill to reform good time law in Rhode Island.

February 10, 2012

SOUTH KINGSTOWN â€“ After last yearâ€™s rate hike in beach parking fees, Governor Lincoln Chafeeâ€™s proposed two percent hike in the meals and beverage tax has added fuel to the fire for the tourism industry along with restaurants who are rallying in opposition against the governorâ€™s tax and spending plan.

Last Tuesday during his State of the State address, the governor proposed an $88 million increase in taxes, including the meals tax, the cigarette tax, sales tax and license fees in his $7.9 billion FY 2013 budget.

February 8, 2012

SOUTH KINGSTOWN â€“ Twenty-five years ago the homeless population in South County travelled from church to church in Wakefield, hoping for a warm meal, a warm bed and a warm welcome until the community found them a home at the Welcome House.

February 8, 2012

NARRAGANSETT â€” The town council approved an amendment on Monday evening which changes the townâ€™s noise ordinance to account for auditory disturbances caused by motorcycles. Narragansett Police Department has found it increasingly difficult to enforce noise created by illegal exhaust systems on motorcycles which drive through public, tourist-driven areas of town, such as Ocean Road and along the sea wall.

February 8, 2012

Motorcycle drivers will no longer be able to roar their engines in Narragansett after the town council approved an amendment to the town's noise ordinance account for auditory disturbances caused by motorcycles with illegal exhaust systems.

In today's paper, we also have a story on the first Galilee Task Force held last Tuesday to take local fishing concerns to the state level.

February 3, 2012

SOUTH KINGSTOWN â€“ South Kingstown schools will be receiving $216,000 more in state aid than originally anticipated after Governor Lincoln Chafee proposed his FY 2013 budget that aims to increase support to local schools in light of the budget strains facing cities and towns.
According to the governorâ€™s budget, South Kingstown is allocated $8.51 million more, which amounts to a $216,768 increase.

February 3, 2012

SOUTH KINGSTOWN â€” Raena Morley, a Chemical Engineering and French student in the University of Rhode Islandâ€™s International Engineering Program (IEP), spent her summer unlike most students, working as in intern for Toray Plasticsâ€™ offices in Lyon, France. The experience is one which many IEP students hold, and Morley, who will graduate in 2012, is grateful that she can blend two opposite interests into one track of study.

February 3, 2012

PROVIDENCE â€“ An increase to the stateâ€™s cigarette tax, restaurant and beverage sales tax and a new seven percent sales tax expansion are some of what Governor Lincoln Chafee proposed Tuesday night in his $7.9 billion budget plan to close the projected $125 million budget deficit for the next fiscal year that begins July 1.

In total, Chafeeâ€™s proposed budget to the General Assembly includes $87.7 million in tax hikes with much of it devoted to saving ailing municipalities.

February 3, 2012

SOUTH KINGSTOWN â€” On Monday, January 30 at 9:11 p.m., David D. Walmsley, 23, of 159 Alder Road, was arrested by South Kingstown Police on nine felony counts, including possession/manufacturing of marijuana and possession of Schedule II-IV drugs.

Probation/Parole Officers Greg Williams and Laura Bard responded to 159 Alder Road to check in on another probationer when they observed a bright yellow light coming from the basement window. Upon further inspection, Officers Williams and Bard saw several potted marijuana plants, and called SKPD.